FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan of the Atlanta Falcons doesn't have any plans to incorporate more no-huddle into the attack for 2016.
"We do no-huddle when we think it gives us an advantage," Shanahan said.
Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan was taught the old-school Cincinnati Bengals Sam Wyche' no-huddle offense as a rookie by then offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey and quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave in 2008.
Over seven seasons, Ryan grew to be quite effective when attacking defenses from the no-huddle.
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"We do no-huddle more than most people in the league," Shanahan said. "We don't just sit and do two-minute no-huddle. But a lot of run plays that you don't always notice, they are no-huddle."
A pure, uptempo no-huddle would be taxing on the offensive line, which has to run a lot in the outside zone system.
"We do it a good amount and I think a little more than people realize," Shanahan said.
Shanahan also discussed the teams audible system.
Under the former offensive coordinators Mike Mularkey and Dirk Koetter, Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan had wide-ranging audible authority.
Ryan has an audible option -- to check a run into a pass or vice versa at the line of scrimmage -- on perhaps 50 percent of the plays, according to Shanahan.
Because of the Falcons' outside zone running style, Shanahan is not afraid to run into eight-man fronts in order to keep a defense honest.
"Not all of them," Shanahan said when asked if Ryan can audible. "A lot of them you do. You don't want to get into that game all of the time. Then the sky is getting too bad.
"Sometimes you need to run the ball into a bad look to slow down the (defensive) line. Sometimes you're getting an eight-man front all game and if it's all run-pass-check, you're going to throw the ball every play.
"If you do that, you're going to have trouble blocking people. I would say on half of them he has a chance to do that. Some of them are just called as runs."
--Shanahan spoke for the first time since wide receiver Roddy White, the franchise's all-time leading receiver was released.
In March, White's representatives blamed his release on Shanahan. Falcons coach Dan Quinn has vehemently denied that was the case.
"That's part of our job," Shanahan said. "It's something that's a really tough situation. It's probably the toughest thing in our profession that we have to deal with. Fortunately, I've been in the league long enough to have been through situations like that.
"Any time that you have to move on from a veteran, especially one like Roddy, who's been so good and has meant so much to the organization, it very rarely goes smoothly. You're talking about a guy's lively hood and stuff."
Shanahan understood the connection and the finger-pointing by White's agent.
"Things get somewhat personal," Shanahan said. "I know it wasn't personal. I'm not going to make it personal. I respect the hell out of Roddy. I understand the situation.
"It's just a tough thing that we have to do. It's a tough decision that the organization had to make. I hope as time passes, it can get a little easier. I do respect Roddy as a player and as a guy. I hope as time goes, he understands that."
NOTES: The Falcons signed defensive end Nordly Capi and guard Michael Huey. They also released defensive end Josh Dawson. Capi, 6-foot-3, 249 pounds, was signed by Jacksonville as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2015. He spent part of the season on the Ravens practice squad. He played in college at Colorado State. Huey, 6-4, 317, was signed by the Seahawks in 2011. He has also spent time with Washington, the Chargers and the Arizona Rattlers of the Arena Football League, where he was a three-time an AFL player. He played in college at Texas. The Falcons roster currently stands at 89, one under the 90-man offseason limit. ... WR Julio Jones believes better communication will solve the Falcons' offense's this season. "It's all about communication," Jones said. "It's Kyle's second year and our second year in the offense. ... It's just communication. We just have to get back to doing what we do and understand where Kyle wants to go and where Kyle wants to take us." ... -C Alex Mack, who had a season under offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan in Cleveland in 2014, should help to stabilize the communication between the offensive linemen. "Just the checks, he knows all of the checks," WR Julio Jones said. ... RB Devonta Freeman was limited by a leg strain on Tuesday. Dan Quinn said he would return to practice on Thursday. ... DE Adrian Clayborn participated in the OTAs on Tuesday. He was limited by a strained pectoral injury in previous open OTA sessions. ... KR/PR Devin Hester (ankle/foot) did not participate. ... RG Chris Chester (shoulder) did not participate, but worked off to the side with the training staff. ... WR Devin Fuller (hamstring) did not participate in the open session, but worked off to the side with the training staff. ... DT Grady Grady Jarrett (tendinitis knee) did not participate in the open practice, but worked off to the side with the trainers. ... C James Stone (knee) did not work with the trainers. ... FB Will Rattelle had his left hand taped during the open session. On one play, he was flanked out wide right to help block on an outside run. ... TE Austin Hooper will be on hand for the team's mandatory minicamp next week. He had to miss OTAs because his school was not out yet.
